In Jacksonville, Florida, experts are arguing over the cause of the collapse of a parking garage which caused the wrongful death of one construction worker and personal injuries to twenty others at the Berkman Plaza 2 condominium project.
This dispute, which is taking place as part of a hearing conducted by OSHA to evaluate the safety of the work site, illustrates one of the benefits of the no-fault system in place through Florida’s workers’ compensation laws. Workers injured on the job do not have to establish fault by the employer to recover for the costs of needed medical care and lost time from work. Still, the recovery of all the benefits due to an injured worker can be complicated without the assistance of an experienced lawyer.
Due to limits imposed by the Florida Legislature, fewer and fewer law firms are willing to accept that challenge. However, the lawyers in our workers compensation practice area remain available to assist with claims arising from the denial of appropriate medical care, lost wages, and damages resulting from temporary and permanent physical impairments.
In addition, often such workplace accidents also give rise to personal injury or wrongful death claims against companies other than the employer. For example, if the firm that engineered the parking garage did so in a negligent manner that did not provide adequate support, it may have liability for the injured workers above and beyond their workers’ compensation benefits. In these situations, is is helpful to hire a law firm that handles both workers’ compensation and personal injury cases.
If you have questions regarding a workers compensation or personal injury claim please contact our Jacksonville workers compensation and injury attorneys.